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Entry tags:
Five, four, three, two, where the ones go?
WHO: Erik & Athessa
WHAT: Fighting bandits, bantering, etcetera
WHEN: Early Wintermarch, pre-dream times
WHERE: Ghislain?
NOTES: Violence, cursing, bonding over it. Good times.
WHAT: Fighting bandits, bantering, etcetera
WHEN: Early Wintermarch, pre-dream times
WHERE: Ghislain?
NOTES: Violence, cursing, bonding over it. Good times.
To be honest? Erik was just glad to be doing something, something away from Kirkwall for a bit. Time to see more of the world while kicking ass and not taking names, as the case turned out to be.
Ghislain was just the place to do it. There were still the occasional bandit raiding party making trouble for the locals, and Erik and Athessa were dispatched to deal with as many of them as they could.
Athessa's horse riding lessons were possibly the most helpful thing he'd managed to learn, here; he'd have been on his ass more than once if not for her help, but for these bandits in particular they're on foot. He has a short sword on him and is thoroughly enjoying himself, thanks very much. He fights loudly, full of exclaimations and grunts; his fighting style is less on the flashy side and more about getting the brutal mess done and quickly.
They're almost back to back in this moment and Erik flashes Athessa a grin. "Sure know how to show a guy a good time." He's not even joking a little bit, he's thrilled right now.
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It's Aldrich who speaks up, though most of the group is looking at Erik a little askance for calling an elf a lady, of all things. Don't mind him, he's just put it together and raised his chin in a 'what you gonna do about it?' sort of gesture.
"Cave east of here. Red cloth at the entrance. We meet there. You'll probably have to fight your way in."
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She rolls her eyes and takes a step closer to Aldrich to speak to him directly. "How many of you are there, total?"
"No more'n twenty, on a good day."
"Plan for thirty, then," Athessa says in an aside to Erik, looking unimpressed. Back to Aldrich: "How far east?"
"Half a day's walk, less on horseback. Veer off th' road at th' marker past that old orchard. It's hard t'miss." Aldrich lets out a sigh of relief and slumps back against the tree when he sees Athessa nod, deeming his information sufficient. One of his cohort, blessedly not Terry, mutters something about giving directions to a rabbit, but Athessa ignores him.
There's someone far more worth her attentions here, anyway. She tips her head towards the road.
"Shall we?"
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He returns his attention towards Athessa. "Plan for thirty, less than half a day on horseback." A nod; he's been paying attention. "I'm good, let's go."
They can leave these sorry pieces of shit exactly where they are, and if they survive the night intact, it'll be some kind of miracle.
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"Ya know what? You're a good fighter. I mean I knew you would be, but it's nice to be right."
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She doesn't know what Miss Thang means, but it sounds positive so she'll take it.
"I got a question for ya, though."
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At her mention of a question she gets his undivided attention. "What's up?"
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"Have you ever fucked in an orchard?" Wink wonk.
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"Nah. You down to broaden my horizons today?"
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If, and it's a mighty big if, any of the trees are comfortable enough to get pushed up against. But no matter the size of the if, the mere concept is exciting enough to have her walking a little faster.
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He winks at her. "Especially with you."
god she's a dumbass where does she even get this energy
"Race ya there!"
it's great and I love it and Erik loves it too
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What she does stifle is the actual fear that spikes at being chased, stamping it down with what should be overwhelming reassurance that she initiated this, it's fun, he's her friend, he's not hunting her.
"I know what I get if I win!"
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He's tempted to just let her win at that point, because he's pretty sure she'd be down for just about whatever he can think up if he wins anyway, but figures she might take offense if he doesn't at least try so he's up and running again after a brief moment.
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"That was...I admit...kinda dumb," she pants, bracing her hands against her knees and trying to catch her breath between laughing. "We should maybe wait to race...until we can actually like...see the orchard. Just maybe."
i full out lost the notif for this wtg
"Just maybe... she says. Maybe." Pant, pant. "I dun'wanna... be so tired from running... that we don't get to fuck, just sayin'." So his vote, clearly, is they opt out of running.
<3
"Yeah maybe," she paces slowly in a little circle, stacking her palms atop her head and puffing out her cheeks with the next big breath. "Man. I bet we could stop the war with that kinda logic."
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"Stop fuckin' fightin' when you'd rather be fuckin' anyway? Sounds great, let's put it on a poster in big letters, send it via griffon to Tevinter." He shakes his legs out, nerves buzzing after all that running.
I can't remember if they've already talked about this ffs
"Could at least tell it to those arsefaces back there. Why is it that bandits gotta be dicks in the middle of a war? Like, isn't there enough shite going on without adding to it? Fuck's sake."
It's not a new gripe. It's not even a particularly volitive or convictive one; it holds about as much matter as commenting on the weather.
"There was a war on where you came from, right? Was it anything like this one?"
I don't think so? We're good lol
He sucks his teeth, putting his hands on his hips. "They just trying to get over on somebody, don't really care who or why. It's fucked, but it's common.
Back home there was always some conflict on. The country I grew up in had a military industrial complex that meant having too many foreign bases but not allowing any foreign power to do the same to them. It's pretty fucked up there too, actually."
Still that doesn't exactly answer her question, does it. "Stakes were lower. Complete rule over everyone with destruction on the level Corypheus wants to bring about? Kinda unheard of. Mostly it's businessmen who wanna rule the world back there. They wanna make money and have power that way, exploiting people to do it. So it's a slower war, really."
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Fun times.
"Sounds like business as usual around here when there isn't a war on. I guess by your standards that means...we're never not at war." Grim, but it certainly seems true. The memories she holds of what life was like before the war against Corypheus seem a little farther away when she thinks about it.
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At her evaluation Erik makes a face; he doesn't disagree, exactly, but he knows that can't be a comfortable realization when you're already in the midst of a seemingly unending conflict that threatens everything you know. "It's more a war of capitalism; it exploits people so... you end up with shit like this, because everybody ain't got enough. And some people, probably, would do this anyway even if they did have enough."
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It's mostly a cover; trying to preserve the light tone of their earlier moments with humor rather than let the contemplation show plain on her face. Her thoughts stray back to her clan, and how it was likely people with more than enough that took them from her. She thinks about that farmer in Ghislain that called her rabbit and barked orders at her during Riftwatch's stint offering relief there.
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He notices that she's considering something and reaches out to touch her cheek. "Hey. Let's talk about something else. Like fucking in orchards."
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"Or how we should'a taken their horses to get there quicker?" Her grin turns cheeky with her next thought, and she just keeps walking.
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Without preamble, she grabs him and kisses him. Her lips still curve with a smile through it, and she's almost laughing by the time she breaks away to keep walking ahead of him — still teasing. Always teasing.
"Thanks for noticing."
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And if he stares at her ass, well, he's only a man after all.
"I'll always notice you." Just in case she was worried that he wouldn't, or something. "You're very noticeable."